A Billionaire's Redemption

CHAPTER 8 MEMORY LANE

“Christ” Lila exclaimed, jumping up in fear, for the second time today she had been scared off her pants. Her gaze met his fuming gaze, she hadn’t noticed him walk up to her.

“What were you saying?” he demanded. His hold on her got tighter

“Let go of me, you are hurting me” she screamed

“You seem to enjoy biting more than you can chew, I think I’ll enjoy strangling you myself rather than letting you rot in Prison. Don’t dare me, Lila”

“Let go, please. I’m… I’m sorry, okay… I …” she pleaded.

“Get out,” he said between clenched teeth, cutting her short.

The air in the room seemed to thicken. Damien’s entire body tensed, his fists clenching at his sides. His nostrils flared, his jaw locked so tight it looked like it might snap.

Lila felt his rage crackle like electricity behind her, but strangely her fear was replaced with a small spark of satisfaction that flared inside her.

Gently she twisted the knob, stepping out, and closing the door behind her, as if nothing had just happened.

The door clicked close softly, but the sound echoed in Damien's mind like a gunshot. “I see why you are finding it difficult to run your own company”

The way she had said it—so casually, so self-assured—tore through him, no one had ever made him feel so insecure.

His breath came quicker than usual, his chest tightening as anger simmered just beneath the surface.

Damien clenched his fists so hard his nails bit into his palms.

Ever since the death of his father, the only thing he had lived for was Hawaii cooperation. He had sacrificed living a normal teenagehood life just to be able to run the company. She had no f*****g right to say that to him.

Nineteen years ago, Damien stood at his father's hospital bed, watching in horror as his father spat blood.

He was poisoned obviously, but by who? "Continue in my legacy." he whispered, "You are the heir to Hawaii Corporation now, not Liam. Whatever you do, make sure you take over the company.”

He was shocked. How could a ten-year-old boy manage a company with over 600 employees? And why shouldn’t Uncle Liam take over? They were half-brothers and best friends, weren’t they?!

Damien was trying to process his thoughts when his father whispered again, "Never trust anyone, never show weakness. Protect your mother.” f**k he cared for her even in his dying hours. “ Always keep your friends close, but your enemies closer. And Liam... Liam is an enemy." With those final words, his father went cold.

Those words haunted Damien every day, like an alarm that never ceased.

Three days after his father’s death, Damien’s mother eloped, transferring all the money in their joint account into her account, leading everyone to suspect her as the poisoner, besides she was never there for him during his last days.

Like, he f*****g wised for her safety even on his dead bed, why would she do that to him.

Determined to rise to the challenge, Damien immersed himself in the history of Hawaii Corporation. At age 11, he insisted on attending board meetings, much to Uncle Liam’s displeasure. Yet, Grandpa always approved.

Shortly after his father’s death, a lawyer arrived to read his will. Everyone was astonished. A will? It was almost as if he had predicted his demise.

The company was willed to Damien alongside the mansion and all of his properties, this was the only reason Grandpa didn’t hand over the company to Uncle Liam.

After high school, Damien attended Harvard, earning a degree in Business Management, followed by a master’s degree.

He dedicated his entire life to the company, constantly wondering if his father would be proud of its growth. She had no right to say what she just said…

He tried to steady himself, but it was impossible. Her voice taunted him. “I see why you are finding it difficult to run your own company” he muttered under his breath, the words tasting bitter on his tongue.

#####

Lila quickly closed her room door gently and rested against it, letting out a rushed heave. She had been holding her breath the entire time and could still feel Damien’s piercing eyes throwing daggers at her back. "What have I done?" she asked herself, slowly slumping to the floor. She hugged her knees close to her chest, her back still resting on the door. "Why don’t I ever think before I act?" she mentally chastised herself, stamping her palm on her forehead.

"What if he decides to stop Mom’s treatment? Will he send Daddy and me to jail? How could I be this selfish? Why didn’t I think of the repercussions of my actions on my parents?" she sobbed, tears flooding down her face.

After an hour, Lila stood up, wiping her face with trembling hands. "Oh s**t! Mother, I haven’t seen her for two days now?" Panic surged through her as she realized how long it had been.

She paced the room, thinking about how she could ask Damien for permission to see her mother. "He won't let me go after what I've done," she muttered to herself. "He probably hates me even more now."

"I need to take a shower before I do something more stupid," she thought, trying to shake off the panic and clear her mind.

After scrubbing her body with shower gel, Lila stood motionless under the cold water, just trying to wake up from the terrible nightmare her life would be in for the next year. She came out of the bathroom feeling fresh.

She wrapped herself in a towel and stepped out of the bedroom, another door caught her eye, she walked over and opened it, revealing a walk-in closet that was even more impressive than she had imagined.

Rows of designer clothes, neatly organized shoes, and accessories filled the space, each item meticulously arranged. It was a wardrobe fit for royalty, but she also spotted her luggage sitting lonely by the side. Her dad had brought it on the day of the wedding.

“Was he really that anxious to send me away?” she thought to herself. He had personally packed her luggage, putting every single thing that belonged to her, leaving no excuse for her to come back.

Taking a deep breath, she ignored the tempting array of fancy clothes and reached for her luggage. Quickly unpacking it, she picked out a black crop top and black jean shorts that stopped just below her buttocks. She swiftly changed into the casual outfit, feeling more like herself in her clothes.

She had worn the uncomfortable wedding gown for twenty-four hours, even sleeping in it, and it had been the most excruciatingly uncomfortable experience of her life. The heavy fabric had left her feeling suffocated and trapped. Now, in her clothes, she felt a little more at ease.

She then fixed her hair into a messy bun, the familiarity of the routine providing a small sense of comfort. She felt like she was in her room, but with one glance around the luxurious room, the little smile on her face melted.

She headed downstairs to find something to eat, hoping to avoid any confrontation with Damien.

With a deep breath, she flung her door open, her heart nearly stopping at the sight before her. Her breath caught in her throat, and she took an involuntary step back, almost losing her balance.